By Josh Resnek
At some point in the next few years, Superintendent of Schools Fred Foresteire will very likely write the final chapter and close the book on one of the longest running, most successful high-profile gigs in Everett.
In a normal world where excellence and hard work are requisites, either assistant superintendents Charlie Obremski or Kevin Shaw would likely succeed Mr. Foresteire.
That is how it would be done in the big leagues.
No search is necessary when pros who understand the system are available to ll the position left open by the likes of a Fred Foresteire.
But not in Everett.
The mayor is right now well into the bureaucratic/political/ personal process of picking a successor to Foresteire.
The mayor’s choice: Dr. Omar Easy.
In Dr. Easy, he finds someone who will do exactly as he is told which translates into the mayor being the de facto superintendent of the public schools so he can hire his friends to teaching and staff positions and, more importantly, so he can control and manipulate the budget.
This is exactly what the mayor is aiming for.
This is what he wants.
The compelling question about Dr. Easy among many others is this: what demonstrated experience can he boast?
He Was an assistant principal at Everett High School.
When he left, his position was not filled as Central Administration chose instead to allocate that salary to other areas. Ironically, that represents the kind of efficiency that Dr. Easy is supposed to be bringing to City Hall in his present position.
Dr. Easy brought his secretary from the school district to City Hall, and she was given a new title to circumvent rules regarding clerks. Is that efficient, let alone fair? It might also be noted that Dr. Easy moved from Everett to Lynn eld when he got his new position.
Dr. Easy’s new job is also a bit of a conundrum even for him! It is hard for him to know what exactly to do. There is no road map at city hall in his newly created position.
Think about it. He is the Director of the Office of Organizational Assessment. “What is that,” one might well ask.
During city council budget hearings several councilors said Dr. Easy was great but couldn’t point to anything meaningful he had accomplished.
Councilors Fred Capone and Michael MacLaughlin challenged such sweet and pleasant nothings.
“What has he done? What does he do? Given the budget concerns, does his high salaried job make any sense?” they asked.
The best questions they raised were these: Is his position worth it? Does it conflict with Human Resources?
During the budget hearings, Dr. Easy was made to answer, to defend himself and in the current political environment, when you are made to answer you lose.